Photos by Bob.Mack@jacksonville.com Asher Stalnaker, 10, gets into the spirit of the Fourth of July, running along First Street in Neptune Beach with two flags, amidst a familiar Beaches sight: A friendly horde of bicyclists.

Brian Durnil, 46, strolled through the Riverside Arts Market under the Fuller Warren Bridge with his daughter Carly, 15. Both were decked out in patriotic garb — Carly in a red-white-and-blue tutu and Durnil wearing Fourth of July party glasses.

“It’s really great knowing people can bike here, trolley here and they can walk the Riverwalk to see more of this beautiful downtown,” Bennett said.

The Riverside Arts Market, usually open only on Saturdays, started to fill about 6:30 p.m. as live music played and children played in a bounce house. The smell of various food vendors mixed in the air.

Earlier in the day, beachgoers reveled in the breezy weather. Bicyclists cruised along Jacksonville Beach roads.

A strong police presence seemed to curtail public intoxication, rowdiness and illegal parking that had marred previous celebrations.

Neptune Beach officials created a new $250 ticket for blocking public rights-of-way that doubles every 15 minutes and stepped up patrols and enforcement to try and ease the problems.

While festive, Beaches police reported few problems by early evening.

Red, white and blue were everywhere — on bathing suits, on cut-off shorts and on 2-foot hats, sported mainly by partygoers. People slid down 20-foot inflatable slides in lawns near the shore.

The day had plenty of blue sky and red Solo cups.

Families also gathered on Jacksonville Beach to enjoy the sun, surf and sand.

“You can’t replace that ocean, that green and blue ocean,” said Atlanta resident Tracey Paulrey, who came to the beach with her family and a friend.

Valorie Williams, a Northside resident, said she came to the beach with her family to enjoy some peace before enjoying fireworks at The Jacksonville Landing. She relaxed with her feet in the sand, enjoying a light breeze that blew across the beach just after noon.

“The weather was perfect,” she said.

Gary Hoenie, a Ponte Vedra resident, sat out in a beach recliner and mused on the best part of the holiday. His family surrounded him, chatting and watching younger relatives scurrying toward the water.

Back at the Riverside Arts Market, Lucie Little prepared cheeseburger crepes with Dijon mustard as a special treat for the American holiday.

Little, who emigrated from France, has dressed as Marie Antoinette on French National Day, but wore an American flag-styled apron Friday.

In some ways, Little resembles the special she is running for the holiday — she’s married to an American and is in the process of becoming a citizen. Her French accent and traditions mixed with American cuisine.

“I wanted to do something for the Fourth that combined the two countries,” she said. “... For immigrants like me, I think it’s important to represent the country.”